WASHINGTON -- Brooks Orpik is retiring Tuesday from the National Hockey League (NHL) after 15 seasons.
He was a leader with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. He scored 194 points over his 1,035 regular-season games.
"I've been extremely lucky to have the best job in the world for many years, but my body is telling me it is time to move on to something new," said Orpik. "I'm excited for more family time and to experience a lot of the things that being a professional athlete forces you to miss out on. Thank you to the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins for giving me the opportunity to play against the best athletes in the world. I'll be forever grateful for the memories and relationships that hockey has given me."
Statement from the Washington Capitals:
"On behalf of the entire Washington Capitals organization, we would like to congratulate Brooks on a terrific NHL career. Throughout his tenure in the league, Brooks epitomized leadership and hard work. He had a tremendous influence on his teammates both on and off the ice and was instrumental in helping us capture our first Stanley Cup. We thank Brooks for the impact he had across the organization and the Washington, D.C., community over the course of five seasons and wish him, his wife Erin, and daughters Harlow and Brooklyn all the best."
You can read this statements from his Washington Capitals teammates by clicking here.
